A Fairly Strange Tale
by Beth Blue Bell
Summary: Bella has always felt like books were her best friends in her very normal & boring life but what happens when she wakes up in a very literal fairytale with a Prince in a world filled with magic?Not everything is as it seems in this tale or in real life
1. Chapter 1

**Well, I got an idea and decided to run with it. I hope you enjoy and I hope this chapter makes you very interested in what happens next. I think you'll be very surprised.**

**I listened to Scar tissue by RHCP over and over again while I wrote this, it's good to set the whole tone. **

**Oh, and this story is rated M because of violence and future adult situations. **

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So how do I explain this?

I am so normal. I am so boring. I am so not worth _even_ mentioning.

That being said, I don't know why the things that have happened to me have happened. I'm not special in any way. I'm not amazing. I'm no Alice in Wonderland. I'm not Dorthy Gale from Kansas. I'm just Bella. Boring Bella Swan.

Sorry, I'm probably getting ahead of myself. I suppose I should just start from the very, and I do mean _very_, beginning.

Let's see... Where to begin? Ah, I know where...

I was the maid of honor at my mother's wedding.

My mother and father divorced when I was less than a year old. She never liked being confined and he didn't want to leave the house unless it was to fish. Opposites attract apparently but how long do they stay attracted? Not very long, I suppose. As soon as she thought I was old enough to handle a long car ride, she bolted. It took nearly seventeen years to find another man she thought was worth being connected to in some way. Phil, her new husband, was a restless spirit just like my mother. Oh, they had their glaring differences, but it was this one thing that they had in common that made them perfect for each other.

And for that reason, I was moving in with my dad.

My mother didn't make me, I wanted to. I wanted to give them the gift of privacy on their almost year long honeymoon. Phil used to be a major league baseball player and now had all the money and time in the world to see it all. And now my mom could too without having a daughter attached to her hip. Besides, I only had a year of high school left before I went to college. I could handle it.

Handling it and enjoying it are two very different things.

My father awkwardly hugged me in the airport, patting my back before releasing me and looking down at the ground. "You look great, Bells," he said with a soft, sort of chocked up voice. I sniffled before looking to the ground and whispering my thanks. That was the extent of our conversation until we arrived back to his home nearly six hours later. Neither of us were talkative and it didn't help that neither one of us knew what to say to the other. We had hardly seen each other over the past few years, the odd week here and there.

Well, at least we both had awkward in common. I must have gotten it from him because I certainly didn't get it from my wild and very out there mother. I sighed at the thought, rubbing my forehead as I tried to lug my luggage up to my bedroom. I had only a small bag of clothes, my thin clothed and short sleeved things from Arizona doing me little good in misty Washington, but I had a huge suitcase of the only things that really mattered to me. My books.

My new room was rather bare, but that was okay. I wasn't going to get attached to it. It was only a place to sleep until I could move on to something bigger and better. I placed my bag on the bed before opening the large suitcase with a soft and somewhat contented smile. The smell of dusty books hit me hard, making me feel a little more at home than I had been before. So, with great care and affection, I arranged the bookshelf just so. It wasn't my entire collection, but at least I could have a little taste of my former home.

"Wow, Bella, quite the collection you have there," a gruff voice said from behind me, making me jump out of my mediative state. I turned to give my father a small smile, albeit an awkward one, before shrugging.

"Yeah. I, um, love to read," I stumbled stupidly over my words before clearing my throat. "Do you need something?"

"Oh, I was just letting you know that there is pizza and soda on it's way. It a meat lovers, your favorite," he said, giving me a large and rather proud smile.

I hated meat lovers. I liked ham with mushrooms, but I wasn't going to tell him that today so I gave another smile. There was no need to burst his bubble yet. I didn't want to make things any more difficult than they already were. "Sounds great. I'll come down when I finish unpacking my books."

He left me alone, nodding his head while mumbling something about him watching sports and getting a beer. I turned back to the books and sighed. He had his ways to relax and I had mine.

It was going to be a very long year.

My book shelf was an interesting mix. The most read were the classics, of course. I read almost everything though from 1984 to Grimm's fairy tales. Romance to Horror. I adored the written word and most of the time I felt like it was my best friend. People were constantly changing but books always remained the same. They were a stable place to rest.

When I could finally waste no more time I made my way downstairs, the pizza, or at least half of it, already waiting for me. My father had already poured me a soda, a Sprite, and I wrinkled my nose. Once again I wasn't going to say anything tonight but I only drank diet sodas. It was one of the things from my mother's diet kick that stuck around. I plopped down on the old creaky brown leather couch and grabbed myself a slice.

"So, excited about starting school tomorrow?" My dad began, muting the TV. There was no doubt in my mind though that he was paying more attention to the football game than to my answers but still, I had to give him a reply. If he was going to try, so was I.

"Not really," I shrugged, "school is school. I don't think any teenager is ever really excited about it. I'm just ready to get it over with at this point."

"I guess that's true," he muttered through a bite of pizza. "Not nervous at all?"

"No."

"I remember," he chuckled in a way to signal an embarrassing detail from my past was about to spew out, "when you were like what? Ten or Twelve and you were nervous about going surfing out in California. Man, you worked yourself into a little fit. You hardly went to sleep and when you did you started sleep walking! When I asked you what you were doing, you said you were going to surf. Obviously you were still asleep so I put you back to bed but you just kept getting up! I had to stay up the entire night to keep you from walking out of the damn beach house!" He chuckled. "I hope you've grown out of that."

"I have," I said my cheeks flushed. The night that he was talking about was not because I was nervous about surfing but the surf instructor. The drop dead gorgeous, blond haired blue eyed super tan nineteen year old surf instructor with the lean body and muscled stomach. And I was thirteen, not ten.

"That's good," he chuckled, taking a big gulp of his beer. "This old man needs his rest."

"No worries, dad," I smirked, looking down at large bits of Italian sausage in disgust. "I haven't done that in like two or three years."

"You were such a klutz when you were younger," he continued, fueling my annoyance. "How many broken legs and arms have you had?"

"Three broken legs, two broken arms, six broken fingers, eight broken toes, and a broken collarbone," I muttered in anger but he didn't stop there.

He laughed, taking a big swig of his cheap beer. "You are an accident waiting to happen, I think I'm going to have to warn the school nurse about you."

"I haven't done anything that klutzy in ages," I all but growled. I knew he was just trying to make conversations but this wasn't exactly what I wanted to talk about at the moment. Not in the mood was an understatement and a half.

"Good, good," he said, realizing that he had hit a nerve finally. He cleared his throat before taking another piece of pizza. "So, I figured we could go this weekend to get you some clothes and stuff."

"Yeah, sounds good," I replied as I sat down the half eaten piece of pizza. I had suddenly lost any desire to eat. Perhaps it was the mere thought of going clothes shopping with my police chief father. But, since there was no way I could do it on my own since he had the only mode of transportation, I suppose I just had to suffer through it. Looking into a car of some sort would be my main goal over the next couple of months before Christmas. There was no way that I could survive this year without one. If I didn't get a car, I knew I'd lose my mind.

So, we pressed on with some difficultly through a little more conversation before I decided I couldn't take anymore. I excused myself claiming to be tired even though I was totally wired up and went to take a shower in the single bathroom that I was now sharing with my father. I grimaced at the dirt ring around the bottom of the tube, thinking of the amount of cleaning I'd have to do in the next week to make this place livable for normal human beings.

It certainly was a mighty task to undertake.

I brushed my teeth and blow dried my hair before slipping on a night gown and robe. My bed, though it didn't really feel like my own, was calling to me. Perhaps not to sleep, but instead to relax and read. Plunking down on the mattress, I could easily reach the book shelf from my position.

I had finished the last book I had been reading on the plane so it was time to start something new. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to read at this point. It would have to be something comforting in it's own way. Something familiar.

I smiled at the thought of reading Harry Potter. It was simple in a way, perhaps _too_ simple. I needed something more complex. Something with a bit more bite but not romance. Lord of the Rings was far too complex for my current mood though. I didn't want to think that hard. I could have read Inkheart again, the idea of having the ability to turning words into real life making me smile. I wish I had that ability.

No, that wasn't it either. I rolled to my side, laying down fully on the bed as I gazed at each title carefully. I was so engrossed in my search when my father knocked on the door I almost fell off the bed.

"Bells? You asleep?"

"No, Charlie!" I sat up quickly, pulling my robe more tightly around me. "What do you need?"

He opened the door slowly before peeking inside, giving me a shy and very nervous smile. "I just wanted to, um... say that, uh, I'm really glad, you know? I'm glad you're home, I mean, _here_. Kid, I just-" He cleared his throat. "Yeah, I hope you're happy here and that I love having you _here_."

"Thanks, dad," I smiled weakly, flushing as I gazed down at the tattered quilt my grandmother had made for my dad before she passed a decade or so ago. The emotional tones of his voice made me nervous and I bit my lip as I thought of something to say. I grasped in my mind, not wanting to lie to him but not wanting hurt his feelings either. "I... I'm glad we're getting to spend some time together."

"Me, too, Kiddo. Me too. Alright, well, goodnight. You should be ready by 7:30 to go. Class starts at eight but you want to have enough time to check in and everything," he said, playing with some invisible spot on the door frame.

"Alarms set," I assured him. "Goodnight."

"Yeah," he said, shutting the door and leaving me alone. I sighed heavily as I melted against my worn white cotton sheets before glancing over at the overstuffed bookshelf.

"Tomorrow," I promised myself out loud. It was already after eleven and my alarm was set to go off at six. I needed to at least try to get some sleep, but I was certain it wouldn't come easily as my nerves began to twist into tight ball in my stomach. Maybe I was just a little bit nervous about my first day at school.

My predictions proved to be correct as I tossed and turned for nearly two hours. The last thing that I remembered, I mean really _normal_ thing that I remembered, was glancing at the clock around one in the morning, the bright green letters taunting me. Some point after that, I fell asleep.

My dreams were fluid, swirling and changing constantly. They were there but nothing was solid enough to grasp. I expected to wake up with a jolt when the alarm went off but it never came. That annoying honking like buzz never cut through the waves of sleep.

Instead, I woke up with my face pressed against something wet. I took in a deep breath before I opened my eyes, testing the waters. It smelt green. Like my face was shoved into a pillow of freshly mowed wet grass. My eyes shot open as I sat up quickly, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

In my robe and night gown still I was laying in the middle of a meadow overflowing with dew covered wild flowers of all shades and colors. The sun was beaming down at me from one direction while dark clouds threatened me from the other, like a battle line was drawn between the two and I was right in the middle of the war.

Had I slept walked again? Had my nerves got the best of me, forcing me into an old habit? Was I in the middle of the Washington forest outside of my father's home? It seemed possible, but I had my doubts for some reason. Just something told me that theory was wrong.

That's when a new scent hit my nose. It... it was impossible to describe. It smelt like cookies and sugar mixed with sparkles and sunshine with a tangy spice in the background, just tickling my tongue as I breathed in deeply. It was wonderful and frightening all at the same time.

"I must be dreaming," I spoke out loud as I turned to take in my surroundings. It certainly didn't seem like Washington State. I almost snorted when I thought that I wasn't in Kansas anymore. "I am dreaming," I assured myself, preparing for the interesting ride I was about to take. I usually figured out I was dreaming in my dreams and wondered through them like they were an art museum on a lazy Sunday.

But, I had no idea how strange that ride was going to be. Or how dangerous.

"No, you're not," a gravel roughened voice growled from somewhere in the tree line. I twisted my body towards the sound, looking for who had spoken. It was like no voice I had ever heard before.

But, all I could see in the thick darkness was a pair of golden and rather large eyes looking back at me.

"This, I can promise you," he voice continued as he came closer, his eyes becoming larger with each passing moment, "is no dream. This is _very_ real."

And then the monster appeared.

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**Sorry for my poor grammar. I know it's far from perfect. **

**Let me know if I should continue or not. I'm not sure if I want to. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the two people that reviewed the last chapter. Wow, lol that sounds really sad. Also thanks to the people who put it on alert. I'm still not sure if I'm going to continue this. I have another chapter partial written so we'll see how it goes...**

**I listened to Bella's Lullaby while writing this. Yeah, I'm a nerd.**

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I screamed.

Of course I screamed. Wouldn't you have screamed if a giant black and gray wolf with golden eyes came out of the trees? I think it would have been a normal reaction for almost anyone with eyes.

I scrambled backwards, panting, as my fingers dug into the earth. I could feel the cold wet mud underneath my fingernails as I tried to stand. It was an odd thing to think about at that moment but my mind was everywhere, making it hard to concentrate. A sharp wind blew just as a crack of thunder sounded somewhere in front of me, forcing to stop suddenly with my futile efforts. It's like the loud noise frightened my muscles, making me stay still without my permission.

"Be not afraid," the rough voice said. "This is real but you mustn't be afraid of me. I will not hurt you," he said, limping towards me slowly. That's when I noticed his back leg. Even through the thick black and silver gray fur it was easy to tell that his legs was twisted and gnarled in an unnatural way. "You see," he sat with a huff, like all the wind was knocked from his body with just the simple act of walking, "I couldn't hurt you if I wished."

"W-wh-who ar-are you-u?" I stuttered at him stupidly, the wind becoming more violent around me. I could taste the salt of the rain in the air as I spoke. The mist was making my eyelashes clump together, causing them to stick to my skin.

"William, the wolf," he said before licking one of his paws before looking up at me, a thick frame of curled lashes around his deep amber eyes. It was very pretty actually. "My friends call me Billy though."

"Billy?" I sat up, surprised. I must have been dreaming. Why else would there be a big dog named Billy talking to me?

"That's it," he said, going back to his front paw.

"What do you want from me?" I asked curiously, taking in my surroundings more carefully. Everything just seemed so real. It was amazing. I had never dreamed in this much detail before. Usually my dreams were like water paintings, faint details fading at the edges.

The big wolf snorted, standing up slowly. As he did so his bones popped and cracked in a painful way. "Who says I want anything from you? What makes you so important?"

Well, that shut me up rather quickly. That was not the response I was expecting. It was my dream so I could only suspect that it had something to do with me. "Oh, um, sorry."

He gave me a curious look before nodding his head towards the other side of the meadow. "I was on my way to see the Queen. I was hoping that she'd be able to help me with my legs. As you can see, they're not working so well these days."

"Oh." That was my brilliant response.

I stood up slowly as the wolf began to walk at a dreadfully slow pace. With each step I could practically feel his pain. Just watching him made me hurt a little bit. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No."

"Why are you here?" He asked as he continued, not even glancing in my direction.

"I don't know. I went to bed and woke up here," I told him honestly. As he passed me I wanted to reach down to touch his fur, to feel how real it was. I could just imagine the course texture between my fingers, the dirt lingering on my skin. Like petting a dog but maybe more silky? There was a shine there, only slightly dulled from being dirty.

"Ah," he said in a strained voice. "Just woke up here? Sounds like someone cursed you. Put a spell on you. Where are you from?"

"Phoenix," I answered before I could stop myself. I frowned and sighed, "I mean Forks, Washington."

"Hadn't heard of either one of those places. I wonder who you got mad. Must have been someone powerful if they put you in the middle of the Enchanted forest." I snorted. I couldn't help myself. It was just so cheesy. "What?" Billy asked, turning a sharp eye towards me.

"Enchanted forest?" I laughed. "Really? What? Couldn't come up with something more inventive? How cliché."

The wolf turned around with frightening speed, surprising me. I fell onto my rear, huffing in pain as I made contact with the hard ground. Well, I could say this place certainly felt real. The pain surged up my spine, throbbing deep in my muscles.

"Look," he growled, getting in my face. "This isn't a joke. This place is dangerous. Did the witch that cursed you take your mind as well? Now, either get up and come with me or let me be on my way. I don't have time to chit chat with you."

"Okay," I said, blushing in embarrassment at being chastised by a wolf. "I'm sorry. I guess I'll come with you."

"Good," he said, turning his back on me. "Maybe the Queen can help you, too. She's very powerful."

"Is that why you're going to see her?" I asked him, following behind. The mud and such squished between my bare toes, making me slightly uncomfortable. I didn't like getting dirty at all. "She's has powerful magic?"

"I was hoping she could look at my leg. Got in a fight a while back and it healed badly. It's hard to be the alpha with a hind leg like this," he explained as he stretched out his back leg, making it pop loudly.

"Ah," I said, frowning a bit at his answer. "How far to the Queen?"

"The castle is about a half a day's walk from here, I believe. So, not far."

I followed behind this creature for what literally felt like hours. As we walked the dark clouds stayed behind us, walking further and further into the glaring yellow sun and towards the beautiful blue horizon. Billy asked about my home and I explained my life to him. It's not like we didn't have time. It felt like we had all the time in the world to talk.

"Your world is not like this," he commented thoughtfully. "No wolves then?"

"Well, there are wolves," I explained, pulling up my night gown as I stepped over a log. Something, a vine, caught my leg and I hissed as I pulled it away. It stung for a moment, but it wasn't too painful. "They just don't speak."

"How odd," he muttered. "No magic at all?"

"Nope, sadly," I said with a sigh. How much better would my life be if there was magic? How much more interesting would it be if there was some sort of underlying power in the universe?

"I wish I could go to a place like that. No magic, hm..." Billy said, deep in his own thoughts. My stomach growled loudly and I gripped it, trying not to draw any embarrassing attention to myself. I hadn't eaten much last night and I supposed it was catching up with me. At this point, I expected to wake up.

Once again, it didn't happen.

"Don't worry," he said, breaking into my thoughts. "The castle isn't much further. There will be food there."

As if his words summoned it from the horizon, a white stoned castle appeared in the distance. It was surrounded by large shrubs, a pillow of white smoke billowing out of a chimney to one side. "How beautiful," I said with a soft gasp, unable to tear my eyes away from it.

"The Queen makes it that way," he said hoarsely. "She is pure and kind, as is everything around her."

I smiled to myself,"I can't wait to meet her."

He huffed loudly, plowing forward at a steady pace. My feet were so sore, battered from the very long walk. They ached in a very real way. I could feel the sweat trickling down my neck, sliding down my shoulder.

If this was a dream, it certainly felt real. When I woke up, I would have to write it down to try to remember every single detail. I had a great imagination but usually it wasn't this... _amazing_.

As we came closer and closer, a woman dressed all in beautiful perfect snow white dress appeared. Her curly caramel colored hair whipped around her head as the wind began to pick up. The storm was coming closer and closer, somehow catching up with us, threatening to bring down the sky at any moment. The woman opened her arms, a warm smile spread across her plum colored lips. I felt almost instantly safe.

"Welcome Billy. I've been expecting you," her words were welcoming and warm, her voice like wind chimes on a spring day. It was almost musical. Perfectly lovely.

"Your Majesty," Billy said with the smoothest voice I had heard him use thus far, kneeling down in front of her and lowering his head.

"Please, do not be so formal. You may call me Esme," she smiled before turning her eyes towards me. "Who is this lovely young woman who seems so lost?"

"Bella Swan," I said, stepping forward. I wasn't sure if I should shake her hand, bow or curtsy. It just seemed safer just to stand there. I didn't want to embarrass myself.

"Well, Ms. Swan, welcome to my home. Please do come out of the rain. A storm is coming and I fear it will not end for a very long time."

And then the sky began to fall, fat droplets of heavy rain slamming into my flesh. It stung, the pain sinking deep into my body with each splash. Esme stepped forward, placing her hand on top of Billy's head.

One moment he was there, the next he was gone. There was not puff of smoke, no loud crack. He was just there and then he was _gone_.

"Where did he go?" I shouted, afraid that she wouldn't hear me through the tortuous rain. My eyes batted frantically, trying to see through the thick gray sheets of water.

"Inside where he can heal and get better. My maids will attend to him for now. Come," she said, offering her hand towards me. "Lets get out of the rain."

I took the tiny yet strong hand, the heat of it surprising me. I could feel it surge through my body before everything went back.

I thought this was when I would finally wake up. I figured this would be the end of my rather odd dream, throwing me back into reality.

I was so wrong. Again.

I landed on the cold white stone floor with a thud, my night gown making a wet slopping noise against it. The Queen was standing in front of me, perfectly groomed, in front of a fire place. It would figure that I'd be wrecked and she'd be fine. It was the story of my life it would seem. I always seem to come out looking worse than the other guy.

"You're looking for your way home, aren't you?" The queen asked, her back to me. "Billy said you were from another world but he also thinks you're crazy."

I wondered when this conversation went on since I didn't here it, but I didn't ask.

"Not surprising," I smirked as I stood, trying to ring out my night gown. All I seem to accomplish was making a huge mess on the floor.

"He also says you think you're dreaming," she commented almost wistfully. I stood up, frowning to myself as I tried to brush some of the clods of dirt off of me. It wasn't working very well either.

I gave a heavy sigh, finally giving up."I am. I have to be dreaming. That's the only explanation."

"If you were dreaming," she said, turning to look at me with concern in her eyes, "you wouldn't be bleeding right now."

"That's not true," I rolled my eyes at her dramatic tone. "I could be dreaming that I was bleeding."

She walked forward, kneeling in front of me gracefully. The queen touched my leg, showing me a spot on my leg where I had scratched myself, most likely while walking through the underbrush of the forest. "Does it feel like a dream?" She said as she touched the spot tenderly.

"No," I said as pain surged through me. It was more painful than I expected it to be. Blood began to flow more heavily from the wound, my skin beginning to turn black around the edges. My eyes grew wide as my breathing began to shallow. "Oh, god!"

"It seems to be poisoned," and that was the last thing I heard before I passed out. I never was good around blood.

In that floating darkness I knew I wasn't dreaming. I knew that the things that were happening to me were very real. The pain was real. I was not about to wake up and realize that I was in the bed in Forks. I was very much so stuck in this new and unusual world. Stuck without a way to return to my own.

When I came to I was in a bedroom though, even if it wasn't my own. The white stone walls glowed from the fire that sparked in the fireplace across the room. Esme, the queen, was sitting in a chair across from me, reading a book. As I sat up slowly I realized that I was no longer soggy and I was wearing a white dress that hugged my body comfortably. It wasn't something I'd wear on a day to day basis, but it was still very pretty and I liked it very much.

"I'm sorry about that," she smiled at me as she looked up from her book. "You had a type of thorn embedded in your skin that releases it's poison if it's trying to be removed. I didn't realize. I removed it completely and your leg has been healed."

"Thanks," I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck.

Before, I saw this as a joke but now I was simply overwhelmed. I was a long way from home and I had no idea how to return. Just as I was about to open my mouth to ask a question, Esme stopped me.

"I'm not powerful enough to get you back to your world, sadly. That is what you were going to ask, wasn't it?" She said quietly, sitting the book down on a table beside her.

"Yes," I sighed, biting my bottom lip. "It's okay."

She stood from her spot and walked over to the bed. Sitting down beside me, Esme touched my hand. "I do apologize for that. I've been trying to think of a way to help you and I'm not sure what to do. I've never come across something like this before. It's very unusual."

"Do you think that I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of my life?" I asked, trying to hold back a sniffle as the sting of tears filled my eyes.

"No," she shook her head reassuringly. "You got here, I think you can go back. I just don't have the power to help you but there are those who are much more powerful than me."

"Do you know of someone with that kind of magic?"

"Yes," the queen sighed heavily. "If only Edward were here! It would be so much easier!" She all but shouted as she stood, looking back towards the fire.

"Edward?" I perked up at the name. I had never met an Edward before but the name seemed so strong. It did sound like the name of a hero in a story. Maybe he could be my hero. I certainly was a damsel in distress at the moment. "Who's Edward?"

"Edward is my son," she smiled sadly. "But, he was cursed a very long time ago."

"Oh," I breathed, all the wind leaving my sails.

"Oh!" She clapped her hands together, looking at me excitedly. "Maybe you can help him and in return he'll help you!"

"Alright," I said slowly. "I don't know if I'll be able to, but I will see what I can do. It's not really like I have a choice."

"Well, you see," Esme began, walking over to the window. The storm was still going on outside, the winds howling around the castle walls. "Through a series of sad events, he was cursed by a group of evil sirens. But, that's not my story to tell," she waved her hand as if she was thinking to herself, "but because of the spell on him, no one with magic can come near him. They put him in a deep sleep and the only way to wake him is a kiss from a virgin."

I instantly flushed. "Are you serious?! A virgin?" I sputtered.

"Deathly serious," she sighed heavily. "You see, in this world very few people are born without magic of some sort. Even fewer are women and to find a _willing_ virgin... as you can imagine, it's very difficult. He's been asleep for a very long time. But, you don't come from this world and from what I can tell, you have no magic."

"And I'm a virgin," I said quietly, drawing my knees up to my chest and burying my face in them. I was so embarrassed. I had never even been kissed before.

"I knew you'd be the one to wake him up!" She smiled, rushing to my bed. "I foresaw it! Oh, dear Bella, will you please wake my son? In return I promise that he will help you return you to your world. Please?"

I didn't see that I had much of a choice. "Sure," I whispered out breathlessly, looking down at my hands. They were shaking slightly. Forming them into a clenched fist, I closed my eyes, "I'll help him wake up then maybe he can help to wake me up."

She hugged me tightly, holding me against her chest. "Thank you, my darling child! I will give you everything you need for the journey! I will give you money, clothes, horses, food, and I will send my two most trusted friends along to assist you. I promise you, if there is anything that can be done for you Edward will know."

I didn't know what to say to that so I simply chewed on my bottom lip. She gave me a soft sigh, touching my cheek. Normally I would have felt uncomfortable at the contact but she was so soft, so pure, it was hard not to relax into her touch. "I know you are sad but I promise we will do all that we can. We will return you to your home. You've had a trying day, now it is time for you to sleep. In the morning at breakfast I will show you the way and help you to prepare for the trip."

For the second day in a row I sank into a bed that was not mine, but unlike the one in Forks I knew that sleep would come quickly. I was utterly and completely exhausted.

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**So, a little more information. I don't think I've ever read a story like this before, especially with the direction I plan on taking it. **

**Please let me know what you think, good or bad! I want to know if I should continue. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts last chapter, and thanks to Jayeliwood for pimping on Twitter! **

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My sleep was deep and dreamless, not that it was surprising. Only when I was that tired did I sleep like that. When I woke up it was hard to move, my entire body feeling very heavy. It was like an elephant was sitting on my chest, holding me down onto the bed. Rubbing my eyes over and over again, I willed myself to wake from the daze that was holding me. When I was finally able to tear myself out of the very soft feather bed, I realized that there was a set of clothing waiting for me on the chair the queen had sat in before.

There was a dark pair of black pants that hung off the arm and what appeared to be a matching black tank top. This surprised me. I didn't imagine this place to be the sort of... _world_... to have tank tops. Then I realized it was simply the under garment. Over that went a deep red sort of overcoat that reached to the floor with slits all the way up to the hip in two places along the side. It was laced up nicely with a silky back ribbon which matched the flowers that were beautiful sewn into the fabric. There was also a pair of stockings and high black leather boots to finish it off. I smiled of the beauty of the outfit as I twirled in the mirror, checking it out from every single angle. I loved it.

Just as I finished arranging my hair into a neat little braid there was a knock on the door.

"Mi'lady? Breakfast is ready and the queen has asked me escort you to dine," a soft voice questioned lightly.

"Coming," I answered back quickly, running to the door. A soft young woman with mocha colored skin and deep brown eyes greeted me, soft brown freckles dotting along her cheeks and nose. "Thank you."

"Of course," she smiled, her pink lips revealing the bright white teeth underneath. "Right this way."

I hadn't gotten to see much of the castle the night before, not beside this room and the Queen's chamber. The art that hung on the walls was amazing. It was far more beautiful than any museum I had gone to. I wished I had more time to stop and look, I mean really look but the urgency to return home settled in the pit of my stomach. "It must be wonderful to work here," I commented with wondering eyes.

"It is. Her Majesty is a wonderful woman. She loves to paint and she fills each room with them."

"She painted these? Wow!"

The girl giggled, opening a door for me that led to the outside world. "Esme is a woman of many talents. Good luck on your journey."

"Thanks," I gave her a brief smile. As I walked forward I saw the queen just standing on the other side of the doorway. She offered me her hand and I took it slowly, trying to remember not to fall.

"Thank you so much Angela for bringing dear Bella out," Esme smiled warmly. The girl nodded her head before going back inside, leaving us both alone. "I do hope you slept well, dear one."

"I did," I said as I walked beside her. Before us was a table lined with food, enough to feed an entire army. My stomach growled and I grasped it tightly. The queen laughed softly, pulling out a chair for me.

"I can't imagine how hungry you must be! Eat, please!"

I had to keep from throwing myself at the piles of delicious looking food. I sat, quickly shoveling a spoonful of this or that, not being very picky at all, onto the plate. "Thank you," I mumbled through a bite of what appeared to be some sort of hash with potatoes and turkey or chicken.

"Of course," she smiled, setting down and arranging her own plate. "As promised, I will provide all that you need for this journey, and that includes a decent breakfast. There isn't enough I can give you if you can really wake my son."

I sat down my fork, frowning to myself. "But what if I can't?"

"You will," she assured me, touching my hand. "I foresaw it."

"What do you mean, _foresaw_?"

She blushed, looking down at her lap. "Well, it wasn't really me. It was Alice, one of my closest friends. You will meet her very soon. She will be going with you."

"Oh," I said, picking up my fork again. "And what exactly did this Alice see?"

"She saw you speaking to my son inside the castle in which he lays now. The only way that is possible is if you wake him, or at the very least, assist in his waking," Esme said before taking a long sip from her drink. It appeared to be some sort of very light green tea. "Ah! Speak of the devil!"

A dark haired girl who was beyond petite came striding up the path with a beautiful blond man following behind. She was dressed in a lovely short dress with boots much like my own, her short hair the same deep shining color. The man behind her was tall, his thick blond hair curling around his temples. He wore a slate gray pair of riding pants with a matching vest over his white shirt. He wore the boots as well. I wanted to ask what they were about, but I decided I'd probably find out soon enough. It was just easier to wait and see at this point.

"Oh! Esme! I knew she'd look amazing in that outfit!" She clapped happily before coming at a quick pace to hug me. I almost fell out of the chair with the force of it. "Red is a lovely color on you but with your skin just about any color would be great."

The man behind her cleared his throat, thankfully making Alice release me from her vicious death grip. She smiled contritely, putting her hands behind her back as she backed up slowly. "We have prepared the horses and all is ready, Madam. We can leave at your leisure."

"Wonderful!" The queen smiled. "Bella, this is Jasper- Alice's husband and the commander of my guard. He will be going with you as well."

"Pleasure to meet you," I said, sticking out my hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. I pulled back, blushing like a moron. That wasn't what I was expecting.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you. I'm going to give some last minute orders to my men. Whenever you ladies are ready," he nodded his head before placing a quick kiss on his wife's cheek.

Alice sighed heavily with a stupid smile on her face, plopping down in a seat beside me. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"Every day is a lovely day when you're that in love," Esme snickered, picking up a shining red apple and taking a bite.

I felt awkward in the middle of this conversation so I simply decided to stay out, filling my mouth with more food. Taking a large of muffin, I hummed in pleasure at the taste. It seemed to be a blueberry one.

"Good, isn't it?" Alice said in a sugar sweet voice. "Esme grows it all herself in her garden. I'm so jealous. I wish I had a green thumb."

"We all have our talents. I have gardening, you have fashion, Jasper is a soldier and Carlisle is a healer," the queen said before taking another sip of her tea.

"Who's Carlisle?" I blurted out before I could realize how rude that way. I seem to be having issued with word vomit lately.

"Carlisle is my husband. Currently he's away helping a village to the east. I wish you could meet him. He'd love you," she said with a soft sigh.

"So, um, he's a doctor and the King?" I asked in confusion. "I didn't realize you could have two jobs."

"No, no," Esme laughed softly. "He's not the King. My first husband, rest his soul, was the King. He died in the war. Carlisle is my second husband. He's a Prince now, because of our marriage, but he'll never be the King."

"He'd never want to be. He enjoys healing too much," Alice chimed in before pointing at my plate. "Are you all done?"

"Yea," I mumbled, pushing my plate away. "I suppose..." I trailed off, stealing my resolve. "I suppose I'm ready."

"Bella, I can not promise that this trip will be a safe one," Esme began, "there are many dangers in this world. Jasper and Alice will do their best to protect you but I think you need more help than that. I want to give you this," she said, handing me a beautiful jeweled dagger in a silver holder. "Use it only if you have to."

"Thank you," I breathed.

"Edward is in a small castle to the east called Zamok. It was Edward's grandparent's home. It was heavily fortified in many ways and I could think of no better place to keep him safe. Alice will be able to open the gate but only you will be able to go any further because of his curse. He is in a room at the top of the stairs to the left. I know... I know it may be frightening at points, but remember that he will help you Bella."

"Okay," I nodded, bitting my bottom lip worriedly. "I'll try my best."

"That is all I can ask of you," she said, bringing me to my feet. "Good fortune and good luck."

Alice took my hand and said a soft goodbye before leading me around the castle. "You're a brave girl to be doing this. I'm thankful to you. Edward has been asleep a very long time now."

"How long?"

"One hundred and ten years, almost," she said with a soft sigh. "To be so young and waste it asleep. It's a shame."

"Is it-" I stopped, trying to figure out how exactly to ask this next question. "How old are you?"

"I'm just over a hundred and sixty years old. I'm a bit younger than Edward. Jasper is the oldest of us- we all grew up together. Jasper will be two hundred and fifty two next winter."

"Wow," I breathed.

"How old are you?" She asked curiously as we neared Jasper who was standing beside two very beautiful brown horses. Their dark shining black hair was braided along their tail, each horse having their mane done in a different style. It took me a moment to tear my eyes away from them.

"I turned eighteen about two months ago," I answered.

Jasper smiled at me warmly. "Still a baby. Can you get up on your own or do you need help?"

"Um..." I trailed off, looking at the horse then back at Jasper.

He laughed quietly, "help it is. Come on," he said, joining his hands together and kneeling down. I took a hold of the saddle and placed my foot on his joined hands. Swiftly he lifted me up and I carefully swung my leg around until I settled into place. The horse stayed perfectly still the entire time.

"Good boy," I cooed at the horse, patting it's neck affectionately.

"Thank you," he chuckled, "I do try."

In a very gracefully manner I squealed and nearly fell off the speaking creature. I'm not sure why I was so surprised. Billy spoke as well and he was a wolf. There was no reason not to assume other animals didn't speak as well.

"Oh, why do I have to carry two of you? Seth only gets one," the other horse spoke in a very feminine voice.

"I'm carrying the gear as well, you have none," my horse said back sarcastically. "Don't complain so much, Leah."

Jasper climbed onto Leah first before offering his hand to Alice who hoped up gracefully to sit in front of her husband. "Leah, Seth... This is Bella," Alice said with amusement. "And Leah, I barely weigh anything. Really, is it as bad as Emmett?"

"Nothing is as bad as Emmett," the horse huffed as they began to walk forward.

"Who's Emmett?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Emmett is Esme's other son. He's a giant of a man, literally!" Jasper said as he wrapped an arm around Alice's waist. "He's twice as big as the three of us combined. He normally has to walk because the horses refuse to let him ride for fear he'll break their backs."

"Is he at the castle as well? I mean, with the queen? I didn't get to meet him. "

"No," Alice shook her head. "He's with Carlisle further east. You see Bella, there is a war going on between the the West and East. The west wishes us to be one central government while the east wishes to be separate."

"Sounds like the civil war," I spoke to myself.

"Excuse me?" Jasper asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Nothing," I answered back quickly. "Just thinking out loud. How far to Zamok?" I asked, the name sounding strange on my tongue.

"A day and a half's journey. We'll ride until nightfall and then make camp. There is a village not far from the castle and after you wake Edward we will seek shelter there and plan out the next move."

We rode most of the day in silence after that. Alice spoke every now and again, telling me about the clothing she packed me or the food she brought. A little after noon we stopped and had a small lunch of a trail mix of some sort. It had sweet grains and berries along with nuts that were drizzled in honey. It actually tasted really good. I was pretty sure my mother would love it. For about six weeks she was a vegetarian and she would have been all over this.

After the short break we continued on until the blazing sun began to settle along the horizon, making the sky a deep and beautiful orange.

"Alice, you start the fire and I'll go get us something to eat," Jasper said as he hopped down from the horse they were sharing. Alice did so as well, pulling what appeared to be an apple out of her saddle bag.

"Here, sweetheart," she said as she gave Leah the fruit. Seth huffed loudly, pawing at the dirt under his feet or rather, hoofs.

"Hey! No fair!" He complained. "All I've had today was hay."

Leah actually stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't worry," Alice rolled her eyes. "Bella, why don't you hop down and give Seth the carrot from the saddle bag on the right? I need to start the fire. Jasper will be catching himself a lovely pair of quail any moment now."

I slid down ungracefully, holding onto the saddle to steady myself. It was something easier said than done. Then I went to grab the yellowish looking carrots from the saddle bag. I could tell it was a carrot by the shape by the shade was odd. I simply shrugged as I brought one to his mouth, letting him eat it from my palm.

"Thank you," he muttered through a bite, chewing slowly.

"Thank you for carrying my heavy ass all day," I said lightly and he snorted, stomping his foot.

"You're not heavy at all," he said in return as he finished the food. I rubbed him gently behind the ears, loving how soft his fur was.

"I know this is none of my business but why would you work for the Queen? I would think you'd rather be free to do whatever you want."

"A horse has got to make a living and this isn't a bad way to. It's an honor to and it's a very good life. We're well fed, have comfortable homes, and we don't have to work that hard," he explained as he sat down on the ground.

"Our mother is the queen's personal horse," Leah said as she sat as well, the pair looking very comfortable.

"And our Father is Master Carlisle's," Seth added. "Our family as worked for the royal family for generations."

"Fire's ready!" Alice said from across the clearing. Sitting in the middle of a circle of gray stones was a roaring fire, glowing a deep red orange as the horizon began to turn a hazy purple. "Jasper's cleaning the birds now to cook. Why don't you come sit with me?"

"Okay," I said, rubbing the horse's head once more. "Get some rest."

"Will do, Ma'am," the dark russet colored horse said, nudging my hand gently. "Enjoy your dinner."

Soon Jasper came back and began to roast the birds over the fire. They were small, one for each of us. It would be enough though and they smelt amazing. After we ate the delicious meal Alice made us a dessert of hot chocolate over the fire and we sat and talked a while, watching the full moon rise in the deep velvet black sky.

"Tell me more about Edward," I blurted out randomly. Jasper gave a small smile, an uncomfortable one, while Alice shifted in her seat.

"I remember when Edward came to the castle the first time. You see, he's adopted as his brother. The Queen is... barren," he said the word carefully. "She was gracious enough to take them both in when their parents died."

"How did they die?" I asked quietly, sitting down my drink. I had lost interest in enjoying it.

"Emmett's died when an animal attack them in the woods while they were traveling. Emmett was brought to the castle so they could heal him. Edward's family was a powerful family and they angered a lot of people. They were put under a horrible spell. Edward was the only one to survive. Esme was Edward's Godmother."

"How sad," I breathed, biting my bottom lip.

"Edward is... is sometimes _cross_ because of what happened to him. But he is a good man and a good friend. Extremely loyal," Alice said softly, touching Jasper's knee. "Oh, don't you have something for her?"

"Oh, I do!" Jasper said, hopping up and walking over to Leah. He patted her neck before bringing something out of his pack. "Bella, I figured you might need this."

He sat down on my lap a belt with a leather purse attacked to it. The bag was filled and was extremely heavy. "What is this?"

"Well, Esme said you had no magic. These are things I figured might come in handy. Candles, matches, gold, needle and thread along with some other assorted things. You can tie your knife to it as well. I think it would be wise to keep it on you at all times," Jasper said, helping Alice to her feet. He brought his hand up, waving it in front of him. Two tents instantly appeared, ready and waiting for us. "We should rest for now. We still have half a day's ride until we reach Zamok."

That night my bed was on the ground on a soft blanket with the wood's song as my lullaby as I drifted off to sleep while thinking about my possible hero- Edward, the man who seemed to have as bad a luck as myself.

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**I think that answered some more questions and probably created some more. **

**By the way, I didn't come up with the name Zamok at random. Look it up and see what it means, if you're correct I'll give you a preview of the next chapter. **

**We meet Edward the next chapter and we get the kiss, I hope to finish that chapter tonight but I think some encouragement might help. Want to see it?**


	4. Chapter 4

**We get to learn more about this world in this chapter and you see the castle before you FINALLY get to see Edward. I like this chapter but I'm excited about what I have planned next. **

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**And yup, Zamok is castle in Russian.**

Waiting for me in the morning in my tent beside me was a clean outfit with a bowl full of very warm water and a wash cloth to clean up with, along with what seem to be cherry scented bar soap. I did the best I could but I hadn't had a shower since before I fell asleep in Forks. I'm sure I smelt awful and all I really wanted was a shower. I scrubbed myself down, pinning my hair messily before getting dress in what was provided for me. I splashed a bit of sweet smelling perfume that was with the brush and fancy hair clips that filled my bag of clothing and such that Alice had packed for me. It seemed extremely light but I kept finding things inside, like a mirror and a necklace that hung around my neck on a silver chain. It was pretty, several different colored gems in a round shape descending in size as it draped downward. I put it on happily, examining it carefully. I'd have to thank Alice for it later and make sure to return it to her before I went home.

If I went home.

The clothes were much like the ones from the day before, the underthings black but the overcoat and once again had slits up my hips was a deep dark blue and moons and stars were sewn into light linen like fabric with a shining silver thread. Before we could leave much to Jasper's annoyance, Alice insisted she do my hair while I ate a large breakfast of eggs and toast with fresh fruit. My hair was braided and twisted off my neck, making things a bit cooler for me. It also hid the fact that it needed a major washing.

Once again we were riding towards the castle, and Seth was singing at the top of his lungs in a very entertaining and off key manner.

"There was once a fine mare with-" He bellowed, one of his back legs doing a little kick in time with his awful song.

"If you finish that line!" Leah warned her brother in a deep voice that commanded attention, not that he cared off course. Alice giggled and Jasper was trying to keep a straight face. You could tell he was a 'warrior' and to be amused would probably break his 'hard' image or I could only assume. He was a lot like my dad in that way. The hardcore cop.

"-with hair like the earth!" He drew out the verse. I blushed when I realized where he was going with this. I groaned softly, bringing my hands up to my face to hide my flushed skin. "With lovely eyes to match. She was divine and had a nice behi-"

"Would you stop being a jackass!" Leah snorted at him before he could finish, thankfully. My face might have exploded if he finished that verse.

"I take offense to that!" He stopped finally, looking over at her with a smirk and amusement in his deep brown eyes. "I am not, nor will I ever be a donkey. But you're as mean as a mule and as ugly as one as well."

"You take that back!" Leah huffed, stopping in mid stride.

"Take back the whole jackass thing," he responded back quickly, continue to walk ahead of her. "And I'll take it back."

"Children, must we?" Jasper finally broke them apart, laughter in the voice as he caught up to Seth. "Can we behave for now? I need to tell Bella about Zamok."

"Go ahead," Leah said, holding her head high. I swear Seth smirked again as he rolled his eyes, nodding his head before holding it up high. I smiled to myself, rubbing his ear gently. He was being a bit bad but it was adorable in his own way. It was easy to see he was the younger of the two and probably the baby of the family.

"Bella, Edward's grandparents had the power to control the temperature of objects. The castle, their home, is settled on a lake that was enchanted to always be ice. It was his grandfather's wedding gift to his grandmother because she thought the ice looked like diamonds. But the air around the castle is warm so that everyone can be comfortable at all times, which in lies the problem that his grandfather didn't figure when he enchanted the lake..."

"Huh?" I said so brightly to Jasper's rambling.

"What Jasper is trying to say is that there is a constant rain storm hovering over the castle because of the hot and the cold. It's going to be dark inside because of the rain, no matter if it's day or night," Alice explained. "Apparently she could stand the rain if it meant there would be ice to look at. Edward didn't want to change it because he wanted to gift it to his bride. He always thought it was beautiful as well."

"His bride?" I frowned to myself as the words fell from my mouth. No one had mentioned it before. Was he married or engaged? What would his girlfriend or wife think about me kissing him? Would they be happy I woke him up or mad that I was kissing him? It was certainly something to ponder. I wasn't exactly sure how I'd feel about the whole thing.

"Future bride," Jasper broke in. "When he married. He hasn't found anyone yet. He can be at times, a pain."

"Yet," Alice smiled happily to herself. "He will soon though."

"Lets just worry about waking him up in the first place," I said quietly. "You might want to wait to play match maker until later."

"Don't worry, Bella. You'll be able to wake him up," Alice said brightly, leaning back against Jasper in the saddle. He hummed in pleasure, wrapping his arms around her waist and lightly kissing the top of her head.

"Why do you have so much confidence in me?" I asked in slight frustration. I gripped the leather reign tighter, looking over at her with down cast eyes. "I mean, you don't even know who I am or what I'm like."

"I just know," Alice said firmly. "I saw it."

"Bella, Alice's visions always happen in some form or fashion. We would not be here now if we didn't know for sure that you could, if the queen didn't believed you could. You should believe in yourself," Jasper answered serious, frowning slightly. "You have to have confidence in yourself if you want to inspire confidence in others."

I didn't want to inspire confidence in others. I didn't want to be a leader and I didn't want to stand out, but I wasn't going to tell him that so I changed the subject.

"Have you had any visions about me going home?" I asked instead of answer his mild chiding. I was answered with silence.

Alice shook her head, "I can't see that until Edward wakes up. He's made no decisions yet so I don't know what will happen. We make our plans around him, but I see him waking and that is the first step in getting you home."

"Why is Edward so important? Why would he be able to get me home when the rest of you can't?" I demanded, getting a little irrationally angry. Maybe it was just the fact that I wanted to go home and that I missed my mom and even my dad, but I was mad and I felt like I had the right to be. I wasn't really sure why we were doing all of this.

"Because, his godfather is the Sorcerer of the East. He is one of the strongest people on this planet but he isn't one to give favors to just anyone. If anyone would be able to get you home, it's him and if anyone is going to receive a favor it's going to be-"

"Edward," I finished for Jasper with a slight sigh. I raised an eyebrow in his direction "Is he really that powerful?"

"He is the oldest and one of the wisest amongst us. He was Edward's Father best friend and Edward is one of his favorite students. He believes that Edward could be as powerful as him one day, if not more so, but he has a long way to go," Alice said, her eyes slightly gazed over but she shook it off quickly before looking over at me. "If he can't get you home, no one can."

"That's comforting," I sighed again a bit more forcefully this time, rubbing my forehead roughly. Just as I was about to move my hand away I felt a droplet of water hit my skin with a painful sting.

"We're getting close," Jasper informed me, his arm wrapping more tightly around Alice's waist. "Not much further now."

"Take this," Alice said, handing me a black and ice blue cloak that seem to just appear out of no where. All I could come up with was that her bags were like the one's in Mary Poppins and I wouldn't have been surprised if a lamp came out next.

I wrapped the garment around me, tying it tightly at the neck. The outside was dark, thick, perhaps wool while the inside was lined with the satin soft blue, feeling lovely against my skin. I pulled the hood further over my head as the rain began to pick up until it was nearly overwhelming, the heavy sheets of water pounding against my body. This was more than a mere rain storm. It was a hurricane. And I lived in Florida for a while, I knew what a hurricane was like.

I realized as the stone fortress came into view that it was a stark contrast to the castle of the Queen. Hers was a lovely clean white while the walls here were dark brown and gray with heavy green stained glass windows that reminded me of old fashion 7up bottles. A heavy black iron gate that looked like vines of thorned roses trailing up a fence barred us from going any further, completely the not so homey look. I wondered why anyone would want to live here, let alone give it as a gift, but to each their own.

"After I open the gate, you must go on foot. The door is charmed to open for you. Remember what room he is in?" Jasper asked as he hopped down from his horse and running towards me. He held both arms up to me and I quickly slid down into them, him steadying me before guiding me towards the gate. "Do you remember?" He shouted through the rain.

"I remember," I answered as I watched him place his hand over the lock. It began to glow green and red, untwisting and opening right before my eyes.

"Remember your purse and your knife, use them if you need them. Tell Edward when he wakes we'll be at the dry place. He'll know where we are," he said, running back to Seth and jumping back on swiftly.

"What if I don't wake him?!" I shouted.

"You will," Alice yelled, a smile on her lips as she turned around. "Bella, go wake Edward. You can do it. I believe in you. We believe in you! Good luck and be careful!"

And like that, they were gone.

"Damn," I whispered to myself as I passed through the gate. Before me stretched out a long bridge along beautiful crystal blue ice. Placing my hand on the purse and dagger that now hung on my hip, I began to run towards the front door. "Open!" I yelled at the front door. "Please open," I mumbled as I tried the handle.

It came open easily and I nearly fell inside, stumbling over my feet as it swung forward.

The first thing I saw was the first three steps of the staircase, an eerie green glow lighting them but nothing else.

"It's so dark," I complained to myself. Then I remembered what Jasper had told me that night before about my bag and what was in it. "Candles would be handy right now."

I riffled through the bag for a quick second, grabbing the first waxy stick I could find. The matches were in a tiny box and I lit it quickly, careful not to burn my fingers. But, I could see there was going to be a problem right off with the wax burning me as some dripped onto my fingers with a slight sting. I took a few steps forward, looking to either side for something useful. On the right side there appeared to be a hallway but I wasn't willing to get myself lost but to the other side there was a room with several couches and what appeared to be a bar.

I walked to the room, jumping in mid step when wind forced the front door shut with a loud clap. The room was covered in dust and cobwebs and wasn't in the least inviting but I knew what I was looking for along the bar. I just had to pray it was actually there. It took me only a moment to find it. A tray was made up with a silver tea pot and several matching silver cups, spoons, and even a sugar bowl filled with dust covered white granules.

"This will do," I said, speaking to myself as I placed the candle in one of the silver tea cups but it leaned to the side. Frowning, I looked for something to prop it up with before it hit me. "Sugar, that should work."

And it did. I poured the sugar into the teacup, sticking the candle in the middle of it. It stood perfect and straight, and it had a handy handle so I wouldn't burn myself. A little sense of accomplishment washed over me, even if it was something small. One thing my mom always said was that you had to find the joy in the little victories. But, I had bigger fish to fry.

"Here we go," I whispered to myself as I made my way towards the stairwell. I prepared myself for it to be brittle and weak but it was quite the opposite. As I looked down I realized that the staircase itself was made of solid white and black marble with gray veins running through the stone. A clap of thunder spooked me out of my staring at the floor and I knew now I was just stalling. My nerves were getting the best of me. I had an amazing way of making everything very fascinating when I didn't want to do something else.

"To the left," I muttered to myself, going to the first door I found. All the other doors were open so I only had to assume that this was the one. The door was heavy, thick old carved wood and I had trouble pushing it open. And when I did I found out that there was almost no outside light at all, just the faint green glow over at the end of the bed there a pair of thick legs covered in black pants and boots laid.

I brought the cup up to look at the cobwebs, frowning to myself. I could only imagine the amount of dust on him if he had been lying here still for over a hundred years. And possible critters that might have decided to use his hair and clothing for home? Well, that thought made me shudder.

"I'm sure you're going to want to take a major bath when you wake up," I spoke out loud, the sound making me feel a little better. I didn't like being alone in this creepy place.

I came closer and closer to the bed, swallowing back the bile of nerves that was rising in my throat. Finally I came to stand over the bed, holding the cup over Edward's face to get a better look at the man I would be kissing.

A sharp gasp left my lips and I had to keep myself from dropping the silver cup.

He was a beast. Beautiful in his own right, wild red and brown hair covered his face. He looked more like a Disney Character than an actual person. His sharp jaw was jutted forward slightly, his mouth formed into a tightly closed frown.

"He's cursed," I said out loud. "This will go away I'm sure when he wakes up. No one said anything about him being a Yeti wannabe."

I licked my lips slowly as I tried to figure out what I wanted to do. First, I sat down the candle on the beside table before crawling onto the huge high bed. He was laying in the middle, his arms at his sides. I crawled closer, trying not to freak out. Surely just a simple kiss would do it. I wouldn't have to give him a tongue bath.

I hoped anyway.

His head wasn't at the best angle so I put my hand underneath his neck. His... um... _fur_... was thick and soft, like silk and it was very warm. I carefully tilted his head up before leaning down slowly. Closing my eyes, I whispered to myself.

"Here goes nothing..."

And my lips touched his.

They were soft, pillow soft, and tasted like sugary candy which surprised me. I pressed my lips more firmly to his, mine forming around his bottom one. His mouth was so much bigger than mine and I wasn't sure if I was doing it right at all.

It was, after all, my first real kiss.

I slowly moved my lips from his bottom to his top, trying to deepen the kiss as best I could. As I did, I could feel him stirring underneath me, his lips reacting to my own.

I had did it! I had no idea how I really did, but I did. His body shifted slowly and I felt a hand, or rather a clawed paw, on my back.

And then I heard a snarl ripple from his body and his deep ruby red eyes opened for the first time.

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**HA! I bet you weren't expecting THAT! Sorry, got a little overly excited. We really get to meet Edward next chapter and hear him speak, so to speak. **

**Keep reviewing, it encourages me to write faster. Please? (Pouty face)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews! Keep them coming, please?**

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"Who are you?" Edward demanded with a roar as he lifted the both of us out of the bed and onto the floor with a heavy thud. "Did you come to torture me more?" He asked with a growl.

Well, this wasn't what I was expecting.

"No!" I screamed back at him, cowering slightly as I scooted backwards. I was terrified. Had I kissed the wrong person? Was that even possible?

"Like I should believe you. You are one of them, aren't you?"

"One of who?" I asked, my back hitting the wall with a thump. I could see very little of him other then his deep ruby red eyes. They seem to glow in the darkness, anger swirling in them.

"The Sirens," he shouted as he got down on all fours. "I should just kill you right now."

"The Queen sent me!" I shouted at him, trying to scramble to my feet. As soon as I lifted I was pinned to the wall, my arms above my head with little in the way of room to struggle.

"Why should I believe you?" He snapped, his hot breath flowing over my neck. I was trembling, my feet dangling off the ground uselessly.

"She said you'd help me! She asked me to do it! She sent Alice and Jasper with me to-"

He straightened up slightly, backing up just a tiny bit. "Alice and Jasper?" He said in a dangerously low voice. "Where are they?"

"They said to meet them in the dry place," I said, hot tears beginning to prickle my eyes. Now that the beginning fear had worn off I could feel the tears coming, like the always did whenever I got even a little emotional.

"You're telling the truth," he said, letting my arms drop to my side. "Why would the Queen want me to help you?" He asked, his boot covered feet shuffling through the darkness. He must have gone to the bedside table because the candle light was moving towards me.

"Because-" I stopped, not really knowing the answer. "She said you were the only one that could help and she knew that I could wake you."

"Right," he said, letting out a heavy sigh before blowing out the candle. "Come on, girl. I want to speak to Alice and Jasper myself."

And it went from almost killing me to _this_ just like that. It was so... _odd_.

The next second I was clinging onto his back for dear life, his hands grasping my arms just a little too tightly as we spend down the hall and down the stairs. We were out and in the rain within a matter of seconds and I screamed as the scenery past by me. "What are we doing?" I shrieked at him, almost doubting he could hear me over all the noise of the wind and rain swirling around us.

"Close your eyes and shut up. It'll make this trip easier."

I did what I was told, burying my face in the fur on the back of his neck. It felt like we were moving at top speeds until suddenly we stopped, the rain no longer pelting my back.

"That was quick!" Alice's voice squealed happily. I looked up and unwrapped my arms from him, not entirely sure I was stable. I slid down onto the ground and down onto my ass, now completely sure that I wasn't. Jasper was at my side in an instant, helping me back to my feet like a gentlemen.

I took in my surroundings as Alice flung herself at Edward, hugging him tightly. We were in a dark cave, night falling outside. There was a roaring fire going, the two horses at the other end of the cave sleeping.

"I missed you so much," Alice whispered to Edward, tears sliding down her pink cheeks. He hugged her back, but not as tightly.

"It is good to see you," Edward replied back as he set her to her feet.

"Brother," Jasper, offering his hand to him with a warm smile. "It is good to see you amongst the living once more."

"It is good to be," Edward sighed, sitting down near the fire.

This was the first time that I could really see him in the light. His clothes were dirty and torn, his boots appearing to be the only thing in good condition. But even in their condition it was easy to tell that the clothes were well made in their time, made of the best fabrics by the best tailors. His pants were a heavy wool black with a white dress shirt and vest on the top with a dark black cloak over that. His hands were shaped like a humans hand but with long claws at the ends of his fingers. He huffed loudly, running the dark black talons through his unruly reddish mud brown hair.

"Are you hungry?" Alice asked. "We've made food for everyone. It's deer, Edward, your favorite."

"Yes, please. And something to drink. Something strong," he replied, leaning against the wall of the cave.

This was the most uncomfortable I had felt since I arrived to this place. I didn't belong and Edward who I thought would be my knight in shining armor didn't even appear to care that I existed. I walked quietly back toward the cave where Seth and Leah slept to find my bag, hoping to find some dry clothes.

"Bella?" Alice asked quietly,making me stop mid stride.

"Just going to find some dry clothes," I said quietly. I really didn't want to be in the middle of them, feeling awkward and just generally uncomfortable.

"Don't bother. We'll be on the move after we eat," Edward snapped. I sighed, turning on my heel. "We won't stay here."

"Edward!" Alice snapped at him. He smirked up at her and I could tell there was some sort of silent conversation going on between them that I couldn't understand. She hunched her shoulders and sat across from him. "So, what do you think of Bella's story?" She asked him out loud.

"Bella?" He arched an eyebrow in my direction. "I'm guessing that's you."

"So, you don't know yet?" Jasper asked as he handed him a glass of some sort of clear liquid.

"We didn't exactly get that far," I muttered as I came to sit down in front of the fire. I wanted some of whatever he was drinking but I wasn't about to voice that out loud. They would probably tell me I was too young.

"And how far did you get exactly?" Alice asked Edward with a motherly tone. You know that tone that a mother uses when she's trying to make her child feel guilty.

"Introductions weren't exactly made," he said over the rim of the glass before taking in the entire cup full. He let out a little hiss, squeezing his eyes shut before holding up the glass for more.

Alice looked at me and her eyes were pleading with me for some reason. I just shook my head, not understanding. She sighed dramatically. "Edward this is Bella Swan. She needs your help."

"I gathered that," he answered sarcastically. "She did say that she needed help."

"She's not from this world, Edward. There is more than one reason you can't hear her mind. We need to get her home," Jasper broke in, handing Edward and myself a plate of food. I wasn't exactly hungry but I decided to eat anyone just so I wouldn't have to talk. After that Alice broke into the whole story in more detail than I ever would have. By the time she finished we have both finished eating and Edward was on his third glass of whatever it was that smelt like rubbing alcohol. I didn't think it affected him in the least though.

"And you believe her?" He asked Alice when she stopped speaking, ignoring my very presence.

"Yes, and more than that, the Queen believes her," Jasper said, putting the liquor away in a backpack. "She says that you will assist Bella in whatever way she needs. If there is no way to get her home she says for you to return her to the castle."

I didn't know that but once again, I decided not to speak. I also wanted to ask about the whole _hear her mind_ thing but they didn't seem to want me to interrupt. I wasn't invited into the conversation and I don't think I wanted to be.

"And what does she purpose I do?" Edward asked, standing up and stretching with a grunt. Things cracked and popped, dust floating off of him. I wrinkled my nose, scooting over some so that they didn't land on me. I was dirty enough to begin with.

"Take her to Aro and ask him to-"

"To Aro?! He doesn't have time to-"

Alice stood up with frightening speed. I didn't know humans could move that fast... but then again, I guess Alice really wasn't a normal human, was she? "Yes, he does. Take her to him and ask him if he'll be able to return her to her home. It's the least you can do."

He snorted, pinching the bridge of his wide nose with closed eyes. "The least I can do? Right. Fine. I can at the very least ask him. We will go to the village where we will get a room for the night. You will return to Esme and tell her that I have awaken and that I will-"

"Edward, I don't think that's a good idea," Alice frowned, balling up her fists and placing them on her hips.

"And then I will take her to see him. There is no need for you to come as well," he argued. "Do you have any of my things?"

She pointed to one of the horses in the back. Once Edward went towards the horses she moved in front of Jasper. "You have nothing to say about this?"

"Alice, he is the Prince. If he commands it, I have to go. He hasn't as of yet but if we both push it, he will. It is better just to agree. We will go back to the Queen and wait for further orders. She will most likely tell us to rejoin them."

Alice huffed, sitting down beside me. "Fine, but I don't like it."

"I know," Jasper gave her a weak smile. She wasn't very happy with him and she turned her nose up at him as she turned her attention towards me. Jasper rolled his eyes before standing up to pack his things.

"Bella, there is everything you need in those bags. Plenty of money, clothing, accessories, and anything else you might need and enough gold to buy it if you don't have it."

"Thank you for everything, Alice," I said, giving her a small smile. I didn't want her to leave anymore than she wanted to go. She reached over and gave me a tight hug, bringing her lips right to my ear.

"He's a good man, really. You must understand."

I sighed, "it's okay, Alice. Really. I'll be fine."

She pulled back and nodded her head. Alice stood quickly, walking back to the back of the cave. I heard Edward shout at her that he was dressing but she said she had seen it all before and began to give him instructions or rather orders. Jasper gave an amused smile and helped me to my feet.

"That necklace," he began to speak softly, "the one around your neck is more than mere jewelry. I insisted Alice give it to you. It will protect you from a great many things. Never take it off, ever. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," I nodded, touching my neck.

"Keep that purse and your knife with you at all times as well. There is a great many things those things can do. You are a smart girl. A brave one. Don't worry, you'll be able to get home," he said, giving me a surprise hug. He brought his lips to my ear and spoke quietly. "I know what you're feeling. The sadness and the fear. The anger. You shouldn't feel so small. And Bella, just give him time. He is just scared and this is how he reacts. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," I whispered in return just as Edward came into view, three bags over his shoulders.

"Hop onto my back like earlier. It'll be quicker to run that way," he ordered firmly. Before I did though I went to Alice and gave her one last hug.

"Good luck and goodbye if you return home before I'm able to return to you," she said, pressing a warm kiss on my forehead.

Without a single word I climbed onto his back, wrapping my legs around his somehow thin waist as my arms hugged his neck tightly. He placed both of his hands on my arms, holding me in place as he bolted forward with a loud goodbye shouted behind him.

We ran for several long minutes, the rain slapping against my back. Finally, after a while, it stopped and the wind began to dry my cloak somewhat. We ran for only a little while after that before Edward stopped, dropping me and the bags to the ground.

"What?" I asked in confusion. The city walls were not more than twenty feet away, a gateway with glowing lamps inviting us inside.

"I can't go in there like this," he said, waving his hand over his face.

And before I could ask any more questions he balled his hands into fists and closed his eyes tightly, the sound of crackling bones and what only could be described as magic whirling around him. And right before my very eyes he transformed from the beast into a man, a beautiful one with long red hair and ivory skin. But, his eyes were still red.

"Wow," I said quietly, standing up from the spot where he dropped me. He smirked, picking up the bags.

"Big change, isn't it?"

"It is. If you can do that, why don't you stay like that all the time?" I blurted out. He gave me an angry look, snatching another bag from the ground.

"Because it's tiring. I can only do it for a few hours when I'm not tired. We should hurry if we want to find a room before I get too tired. I'm already exhausted," he said as he grabbed my arm and dragged me along. "I can't stay in my human form that long."

"Why can't you stay what you were?" I said, stumbling behind him.

"I don't know what's normal in your world but being a half man half monster here is not normal."

"Then how did you become this way?" I asked. "How can that be so abnormal?"

He stopped, letting go of my arm. "Someone powerful put a spell on me and my family, turning us into monsters. I ran to Esme and she stopped the spell before it was too late but when we returned to my parents they were too far gone. It's taken years of practice to go back to my original form. You wouldn't understand," Edward muttered, turning to the right down a small street. "If it's still here there is an inn at the end of this road. Keep up."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, just trying to keep up but he said nothing. He just keep walking.

"Thank the Gods. I don't have the energy to look for another," he said when he saw the sign hanging for the inn. He opened the door, practically pushing me inside before stomping up to the desk. "I need two rooms."

"I'm sorry, sir," the bewildered girl said as she stared at him. She practically had cartoon hearts in her eyes. "But we only have one room."

"Does it have a bath?" He asked, shuffling through the bags and pulling out a wallet.

"Yes, it does," she said, batting her eyelashes at him flirtatiously. She didn't even seem to notice me or the fact that he was a total jackass to her. There was no _please_, no _thank you_, no nothing. I wouldn't have liked being spoken to that way if I were her.

"Good. One night, keep the change," he said, shoving a couple coins at her quickly.

"It'll be the first room down the hall on the right," he said as she handed him the key. He didn't even bother to wait until she was done speaking. He grabbed my arm and began to drag me towards the room. Within seconds the door was closing behind me.

"Go bathe. I could smell you from a mile away," he said, throwing his bags onto the floor without even a backwards glance at me. "It would be very easy to track you if someone wanted to and we don't want that."

I don't know what it was in me that snapped. Maybe it was the fact that I was scared and lonely, or the fact that I was sad but something in me just gave and I didn't give a damn who he was. "Excuse me?!"

"Go. Bathe," he repeated, the sarcasm dripping from each word.

"Go. Fuck. Yourself," I snapped back at him from out of no where. He whipped around, his eyes huge. "You've been nothing but rude since the moment you woke up! What the hell did I do to you? Yeah, sure, I stink but that's because for some unknown reason I woke up here and I've been traveling to wake your sorry ass up. How about some gratitude, huh? Besides, you're the one that smells like wet dog."

_Wow, where did that come from?_ My brain screamed but I was still proud of myself for doing it.

"Excuse me?! Wet dog?" He snapped, transforming in front of my eyes back into the creature he was. "First, I didn't say that you smelt bad, just that I could smell you. And gratitude? You woke me up because you wanted something!"

"And I am grateful that you're helping me! I don't understand why! You obviously don't like me for some reason. Is it just me or do you hate everyone?" I began to sniffle, my tears beginning to prickle behind my eyes as my emotions betrayed me.

"I don't hate everyone! It's been a long..." he softened his voice and looked away from me. "I've been aware but not awake this entire time. I'm apologize for my rudeness. I'm not use to dealing with people anymore."

"I see that," I crossed my arms over my chest. "Give me my bag and I'll go take a bath."

He lifted one off the floor and I quickly snatched it away. As I turned my back and walk to the room that was obviously a bathroom, I heard him whisper softly. "Thank you for waking me."

"Yeah," I said quietly, shutting the door behind me and latching it. Once inside my tears gave way and a hoarse whimper came from my mouth as I pressed my forehead against the wood, sliding down to the ground. I'm not sure how long I cried, laying down on the floor of the bathroom, but it was long enough for me to run dry.

I cried until I had nothing else left in me.

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**Okay, don't hate me for making Edward this way. I'm just kind of sticking to the whole Twilight formula. He wasn't exactly at first. And just like in the books, it'll get better. **

**So, review and let me know what you think! I'm going to try to have the next chapter up in a couple of days. **


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